Chicken got her leg stuck between two slats and hung upside down, not sure how to treat

[margieotl]

She is a young adult, about 6 months. I found her in the morning, don't know how long she'd been there. Got her loose and she was calm and happy to be held. I separated her and kept her on a dog bed with water and food while I was at work. Her leg doesn't appear broken in anyway, it has some scrapes that do not seem very serious, but she does not want to use it and the claws are curled up. No improvement by end of the day. She is eating and drinking. She is now in the house on a dog bed in the shower. I have put neosporin on the scrape but have not done anything else. Any ideas?

 

[Judy]

It's possible that she is still a bit in shock and with rest will begin to use the leg again. You did the right thing, treating the skin wounds and putting her in a warm place where she has only restricted movement. It sounds as if she may have a fracture at the top of the leg, or the hip, though. I don't think anything but vet care could address that, if indeed a vet could. Sorry.

 

[margieotl]

Thanks. Anyway you know that I would be able to see or check for that?

 

[Judy]

If you can get her to relax on your back, maybe in your lap, you may or may not be able to feel it. I had it happen to one hen and I never could feel it even though she got relaxed for me. Two years later, she still can put only a little weight on that leg. Xray is the only sure way.

 

[margieotl]

Thanks! I've been able to hold her and feel the whoe leg - nothing is broken and it is not dislocated. There may be some nerve damage - she is trying a bit now to stand and that's progress. We're going to sling her for few days and see what happens.

 

[Bird Chick]

TWO of my hens got caught in the chain link fence, in different ways, in the last two days in the same manner as your hen. I am fixing the fencing so that they don't get stuck that way ever again! So strange that two had it happen within two days time. They like to roost on top of the fence. I tried to get them to go into the coop, but they just love to be high up on the top of the 6 ft fencing.

I have them both in the laundry room with a heat lamp and on a towel with fresh antibiotic food and water. They don't seem to have any dislocation or break of any kind. I am keeping them there, but wanted to know what the outcome of your hen was? Did she walk again and after what period of time?